Cedars Unitarian Universalist Church

A Welcoming Congregation 

A Green Sanctuary

Home
Visitors & Seekers
About Us
The Beacon
Cedars Blog
Board of Trustees
Calendar
Chalice Lighters
Children & Youth
Coffee & Tea Sales
Co-Ministers' Column
Co-Ministers Profile
Committees & Activities
Communications
Contact Us
Cedars Directory
Finance
Green Sanctuary
Map & Directions
Membership
Music Notes
Pastoral Care
President's Column
Sermons
Shaping Our Future
Shaping Our Future Blog
Social Action
Welcoming Congregation
Worship

 

Worship At Cedars

Worship lies at the heart of congregational life. Each Sunday, when we gather at 10:00 am, we come expecting to be moved, challenged, maybe even changed by what we hear, see and experience.

If you’re new to Cedars or to Unitarian Universalism you may want to know a bit about what happens during worship. The service starts with a welcome and perhaps a few announcements, led by one of our Worship Associates. Worship Associates are trained lay leaders who work with our co-ministers, the Revs. Barbara & Jaco ten Hove, preparing for and presenting our Sunday services. After the welcome, you’ll hear a prelude, usually played by our talented pianist and music director, Christine Smellow.

The Call to Worship, usually led by one of our co-ministers, introduces the service theme. Then we often sing a hymn together. The Flaming Chalice, symbol of Unitarian Universalism, is lit while the congregation reads our affirmation. These are the words we say each week:


Worship Associates
Top: Porter Hall, Michael Read, Bill Scarvie
Middle: Jason Cheung, Marina Philip, Rachel Balas
Bottom: Beth Balas, Donna Larkin Mohr

 

As we come together to worship,

We remind ourselves to treat all people kindly

Because they are our brothers and sisters,

To take good care of the earth because it is our home, and

To live lives full of love and goodness

Because that is how we will all become the best that we can be.

This is usually followed by a Time for All Ages, after which our children leave for their Religious Education Classes, while we sing our “Spirit of Cedars” song.

A time of sharing joys and sorrows follows then we spend time in quiet or prayer together. We’ll sing or listen to music or perhaps our choir sings, then we listen to a Sermon (often preceded by a reading) or a Presentation on a spiritual theme. Our co-ministers lead worship on most Sundays but you will sometimes hear a guest speaker or a lay leader preach.

As the service winds down, we take an offering while listening to another piece of music. Once a month, the entire offering is given away to an organization chosen by our Social Action Committee. It is collected by members of a Neighborhood Team who are also responsible for setting up for the service.

The service ends with Closing Words and the extinguishing of the Flaming Chalice. After the service, we have coffee and refreshments while we reflect on the service, meet and greet guests and long-time members, and perhaps participate in an after church activity such as a conversation circle.

We do hope you’ll join us for worship at Cedars. Our Unitarian Universalist religious tradition provides us with an opportunity to be in religious community without the need to share identical beliefs or creed. Worship, which comes from an old word meaning “to shape things of worth” is how we create sacred space and time to honor what matters most in our lives such as love, community, peace, and justice.

If you have questions about our worship services, don’t hesitate to contact either of our co-ministers or any Worship Associate. We look forward to seeing you at church!

                            

Send e-mail to Webmeister with questions or comments about this website.   
Last modified: September 02, 2010.  © CUUC 2001 - 2009, all rights reserved.  Website designed and maintained by